hostos community college honors program honors read-in and … · 2017-08-24 · honors program...

Table of Contents

Honors Program Scholars Spring 2016

Honors Program Acknowledgements

Honors Program Pledge

NRHC Conference

Reflective Essay Excerpts

Remembering Varnell Pritchett (Hostos Honors Alum)

Hostos Community College Honors Program

Honors read-in and pinning ceremony

Thursday, may 5th, 2016

Honors Program Scholars Spring 2016

Alexa Del Rosario

Rokia Diabi

Danielle Gary

Nadja Gonzalez

Jennifer Jarrin

Alassane Kano

Sierra Lebron

Daequan Leslie

Katerin Nunez

Paul Torres

Althea Villiers

Alassane Thera (June 2016 Graduate)

Feissal Traore (June 2016 Graduate)




Acknowledgements

Honors Course Spring 2016

WGS 200H- Professor Jerilyn Fisher

VPA 181H- Professor Angel Morales

Honors Contracts Spring 2016

Feissal Traore- Professor Nelson Nunez-Rodriguez

Daequan Leslie- Professor Ernest Ialongo

Althea Villiers- Professor Ana Ozuna

Alassane Thera- Professor Jaqueline DiSanto

Jennifer Jarrin- Professor Sandra Castellanos

Alexa Del Rosario- Professor Claude Fernandez

Paul Torres- Professor Heidi Bollinger



Thursday, May 5th, 2016

Acknowledgements

Honors Committee Members

Committee Members Department

Prof. Cynthia Jones (Co-Director) English

Prof. Ernest Ialongo (Co-Director) Behavioral & Social Science

Prof. Kristopher Burrell Behavioral & Social Science

Prof. Yamauchi Haruko Library

Sarah Brennan OAA

Silvia Reyes

Jaqueline DiSanto

Nelson Nunez- Rodriquez

Craig Bernadini

Sandra Castellanos

OAA

Education

Natural Sciences

English

Allied Health Sciences




HONORS PROGRAM PLEDGE

Adapted from “Macaulay Honors College Integrity Pledge”

The Hostos Community College Honors Program considers “honors” not only academic but the ethical and personal growth of the entire person.

Therefore, I pledge as a member of this Honors community

to engage, think, and learn to the very best of my abilities, both in and out of the classroom;

to establish an academic environment that allows members to grow academically and personally in a spirit of cooperation and fellowship;

to work to better our neighborhoods, communities, and the world around us;

to uphold the values of honesty and integrity in and beyond the classroom;

and to treat all humanity with civility and respect, regardless of national or ethnic origin, religious or social affiliation, heritage, disabilities, sexual orientation, race,

gender, or political affiliation.




NRHC Conference

This year the Hostos Honors program, made up of Co-directors, Professor Cynthia Jones and Professor Ernest Ialongo, and Program Coordinator, Karina Castro decided to take members of the Hostos Community College Honors Program to the Northeast Regional Honors Council Conference on March 31st – April 3rd in Cambridge, MA. The NRHC conference theme this year was Migration, and honors students across the Northeast region examined the concept in various aspects to encourage undergraduate honors learning. Students presented various papers, posters, and roundtable discussion topics throughout the weekend.

The conference provided students the opportunity to share their research and present their work in a formal and broader context. Students were also provided the opportunity to connect with their peers from across the region. Student presentations ranged in topics from “Immigrants in America” to “Re-envisioning School Curriculum in the US.” Hostos Honors students enjoyed hearing presentation topics that covered “Gender and Migrations”, “Migrations of Race”, “Animals”, and “Globalization.” Each presentation consisted of three to four students on a panel discussing their research while answering questions or running a discussion group. Additionally the conference incorporated poster presentations which added a very enriching visual component to the conference’s theme.

Nine Hostos Honors scholars travelled to Cambridge for the opportunity to exchange information and ideas. Two of our Hostos Scholars presented at the NRHC conference, Mr. Daequan Leslie and Mr. Feissal Traore. The students




enjoyed a tour around the cities of Cambridge and Boston, where they participated in a scavenger hunt and visited the Institute of Contemporary Art. The students were also given the opportunity to attend the NRHC Gala where renowned writer, Michael Patrick MacDonald, attended as the key note speaker and shared his experience growing up in Boston, his development as an individual, and his overcoming of adversity. Sierra Lebron, Hostos Honors Scholar shared, “I connected to the keynote speaker who spoke about drugs in his neighborhood. I agreed with his assessment of PTSD being a true problem in our drug-filled neighborhoods.” The students furthermore enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of a talent show as well as attend a decade themed dance, where Hostos Honors was named the “Life of the Party.”

Mr. Daequan Leslie presented a paper on “Biodiversity vs Globalization,” where he analyzed the concepts and their relations in order to find a balance between the two. Mr. Daequan Leslie worked closely with Professor Ernest Ialongo throughout the semester to create a final paper and presentation for the conference. Mr. Leslie shared, “I have to provide a special thanks to Dr. Ialongo. He did more than help me get my presentation together. When I was distraught and was going through a downward spiral, he installed confidence in me and always had a positive outlook through my dreary situations.” Mr Feissal Traore led a roundtable discussion on “The Impact of Technology and the Natural Sciences on Migration.” Mr. Traore worked with Professor Nelson Nunez-Rodriguez to present his research at the conference. Mr. Traore Shared “My roundtable presentation went very smoothly and allowed a lot of people to join in on the discussion around my topic.” Both Presentations can be viewed on Youtube using the links below:

https://youtu.be/1vpxocZkSp4

https://youtu.be/G61YUpZCIrY

On behalf of the Honors Program, we are very thankful for the rain of support from the Office of Academic Affairs, Faculty, and Staff who helped our Honors Scholars. Next year the conference will be taking place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; we hope to be in attendance with all our Honors students presenting their future honors work.




https://youtu.be/1vpxocZkSp4

https://youtu.be/G61YUpZCIrY

Honors Reflective Essay Excerpts

Alexa Del Rosario

“The Honors Program encourage me to be more involve in my community. I always wanted to volunteer for non-profit organizations, but I never really had the time to do so. Since the program requires us to have a minimum of fifteen hours of community service, I finally took it seriously and decided to volunteer in 9/11 Memorial and Museum. I choose the 9/11 museum because I want to honor those individuals who perished on the horrible tragedy caused by terrorist attack and I wanted to be able to give back. Right now, I am volunteering as a sales associate at the museum store every Friday. My responsibilities are, to maintain order of the merchandise, greeting customers, and give appropriate information about the store and museum. Since I started volunteering at 9/11 museum, it helped me improved my communication skills. Also, it gives me self-satisfaction to provide service to other people without anything in return.

I am grateful to be a part of the Honors program because it creates a support system that I need as a student. I have become aware of the things that are happening in the campus. Being an honor student comes with great responsibilities, but having a support system made easier for me to adapt and accomplish all the task that comes with it.”

Rokia Diabi

“We organized a trip to Cambridge to participate at the North Regional Honors Conference. The theme of the conference was Migration. Migration is the movement from one place to another and how that change affects a human, an animal, and environment. The conference had different ways to showcase migration. Students from different universities were asked to present a poster, a panel discussion or a round table. Two of Hostos Honors students presented during the conference. We separated the group to go watch each presentation. Throughout the conference, we learned about women migration and the remittance they send back home. We discussed the issues they faced when they moved to new countries especially when they didn`t speak the language or were less educated to stand against exploitation. We were 10 students with two coordinators Karina and Professor Jones. We had a great learning experience, I became friends with other students during this trip. During the trip, I received bad news from home, but I didn`t feel alone because all my friends Danielle, Alexa, Daequan, Althea Villiers, Alassane Thera, Alassane Kano, Feisal Traore and Karina and Professor Jones were there to support me and encourage me not to feel down. They helped me through the pain, and I will always be grateful to the group for making me feel better. I also took part on a research paper with Professor Jacqueline DiSanto named “Creating an Effective Resource for Pairing Teacher-Education Students with School,” Where we focused on an effective way to find students internships with association with schools and their criteria of selection.

I am also taking an honor class, Gender and Work. We learned the struggle women face worldwide in the workplace. We learned the different work that women do and how their environment make these jobs or career hostile to them.”




Danielle Gary

“I knew as soon as I heard the words “community service”, I was in too deep. That absolutely does not fit into my schedule. But like everything else, I found the time and made it work. I began my community service pretty late in the semester! My first community service event was at Columbia University. I spoke on a panel about direct services and inclusion at the Black Girl Movement Conference and I also helped staff some breakout sessions. Over my spring break I continued doing community service facilitating a members meeting, updating organizational documents and completing other administrative tasks at my job.

Extracurricular activities? None. I work, I study, I go to class and I sleep. Absolutely nothing extra. It was more evident to me than ever before that we don’t really get any breaks during the spring semester. Usually, I can get into a groove where I can meet all of my deadlines at a nice pace and the semester just starts to breeze on by. That did not happen this semester. I felt every bit of this hellish semester. Every literature review for psychology, every presentation for public speaking, every five page paper for gender and work, every exam for math, every mastering biology deadline, and every lab report - I felt it. I’m exhausted. But because I’m a glutton for punishment, summer 2016, I’ll be taking one course - Anthropology. I hear Professor Nightingale is great, so I’m not too worried. The course is only three weeks long. After that, I’ll have the rest of my summer to let my hair down.”

Nadja Gonzalez

“With the spring semester coming to a close I want to use this reflection paper to count all of my blessings and give appreciation to those who have supported me in Hostos Community College. Honestly speaking there is no way that I would be where I am today without the Honors Program. This program has truly given me the guidance and courage that I need to be so incredibly successful in my first stages towards a higher education. Due to my acceptance in the program, I have become so involved in the school and around campus. This semester is the first time I have been a part of a school production and the vice president of a club. Without the honors program I would most likely have not taken any honors courses which is exactly what has lead me to my success today.

In the Fall of 2015, I was enrolled in Professor Angel Morales’ Acting I Honors course which not only helped me accomplish goals such a being better at public speaking, group activities, and working with partners but it is also what lead me to becoming the lead actress in this semester’s production Drawn and Quartered written by Maggie Bofill and directed by Natasha Yannacanedo. Learning how to develop my craft as an actor in Morales’ class and finding a true passion for another form of art is what gave me the courage to audition for the play. Without the honors program I can honestly say that I would never have had such an awesome spring semester. Being in rehearsal four days a week is what really made me excited every morning. It also gave me the encouragement and dedication to do my absolute best in school. I did not want my studies to fall behind because I was a full time student and working two jobs. I know that I am not the first person to do it and I can proudly say that I am on track to receive all A’s this semester and will hopefully receive a 4.0 GPA.”




Jennifer Jarrin

“Take The First Step In Faith. You Don't Have To See The Whole Staircase, Just Take The First Step - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This quote has inspired me so much during this spring 2016 which is my 5th semester here at Hostos Community College. Even though my graduation day is still two semesters away I am proud where I am today. I must say this semester has been tougher. I'm finding myself completing more assignments, reading and studying more. Also, this semester we started working on real patients. Our duty is to educate the patient. Let them know that the oral cavity is a fundamental part of the human body and as such has to be taken into account. No doubts this semester has been challenging. However, my passion for my future career as a dental hygienist is the engine that push me every day even beyond my limits.

I cannot feel more grateful for still being part of the honors program. Being an honor student has fed my goals and that is the reason I'm always striving for giving the best of me. Not long time ago my goal used to be reaching for absolute perfection, but life and God have taught me that nobody but him is perfect. Thus, I am working every day of being a better daughter, sister, wife, and student. Balancing school, work, and family is not easy task, but efficiently time management makes everything possible. Something very valuable I learned in this program and that I am executing into the Dental hygiene Program.”

Alassane Kano

“What do we do in acting class and what acting class has done for me in term of knowledge? The class is held twice a week and in every class we learn the techniques of relaxation, improving our speech by working on our pronunciation, articulation and much more. From this class I have learned the difference between pronunciation which is how correct we say the word and articulation which is how clear we speak. In every class, we do warm up (a relaxation technique), the professor assigns a journal entry due for the next class, we work on various monologue techniques, which is a presentation of a scene by one person and also a group presentation. Movies, TV series, casting, theater etc… are always fascinating to audience and viewer but we don’t realize that it comes from very stressful and hard work done by actors rehearsing their play as a daily routine. The acting class helped me improve my English and be more confident in terms of my speech and personality. We performed in one honor colloquium our individual monologue in group performance and I was chosen by the professor to present my first journal entry, “my first class day,” it was amazing.

I really enjoyed everything in the program especially the Cambridge trip because it took me away from both New York and school assignment stress for a few days. I encourage every student to experience the benefit of the program because it really helps and opens doors. I did not really enjoy a full commitment in community service this year because of my heavy class schedule. Next semester if I can I will take less classes so that I will enjoy more community service.”




Sierra Lebron

“This semester was a difficult one for me. I really sometimes think learning is going to come so easily but really learning takes a great deal of effort. I want to learn all that I can, but the reality is there is not enough time to learn everything. I am learning I have to figure out what I really want to learn and focus myself on what I deem the most important.

I love the reality of being in the honors program at Hostos Community College! I am waiting to be accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program. I really want to be a dental hygienist. I am a birth doula and I feel oral hygiene is very important to the pregnant body. If I do not get into the program I may have to learn be a Spanish teacher. I love being in the honors program, I really feel proud of myself. I really like all the other students in the program. They are all very kind, understanding and helpful.

I have been volunteering at a women health center in Brooklyn. I love volunteering at Ancient Song. The women have created a family environment where women can learn about their bodies. Learning about my body with Ancient Song has been a great experience for me because this manual less body can be a mystery. The work that they do helps women who do not have insurance or women who have insurance that does not cover certain services. Many insurance companies do not cover doula support. Ancient Song advocates for women so one day doula services can be covered under insurance. I worked with Ancient Song Doulas Services and the department of health and wellness within Hostos Community College to create three events for students and faculty. We had an event where I explained some of the benefits of having a companion at your birth. Our second event the creator of Ancient Song came in to talk about the benefits of infant feeding. Our third event was the screening of the movie "The Business of Being Born". The events helped me to feel very empowered and very aware of my power of agency.”

Daequan Leslie

“My time management skill was truly put to the test. The biggest realization I had throughout my struggle was that I have to sacrifice the fun trivial things in order to avoid the huge disappointments associated with not following my inflexible schedule. I allowed my ego to lead me to believe façades like me being productive with my work while being with my friends were present, I can fully relax every weekend and still get my work done, and I can take a long break with my friends before going to the library at night. I had to change this or nothing would have been accomplished this semester. I was getting rid of my nonproductive activities, but this still was not working. I found myself always scrambling around last minute to submit assignments for deadlines or playing catch up. My breaking point was when I had to drop general physics from poor test grades. I knew had to make a stop. It started with me revamping my schedule and making a goal list that would state what I was going to do to achieve it.

Also, ridding my life of anything that is not related to accomplishing these goals was important. I made a conscious choice to see my challenges of exceling in my classes and training for basketball while being active in school as beneficial, so that I can deal with them in the most productive way and manage more difficult challenges or ambitions better. I have to provide a special thanks to Dr. Ialongo. He did more than help me get my presentation together. When I was distraught and was going through a downward spiral, he installed confidence with me and always had a positive outlook through my dreary situations.”




Katerin Nunez

“My name is Katerin Nunez. Being part of the Honors Program has been a privilege. This semester I was able to take Gender and Work as an intensive course. Gender and Work was an interesting course to take because I was able to learn the different types of oppression women go through around the world. For example, prostitution, child marriage, and rape. On the other hand, I am able to share what I have learned at home and with my friends. However, this semester has allowed me to manage my time better. For example, staying at school to finish my work for my courses. In addition, this semester was not the best one but I was able to manage everything with the help of my coach, professor Ernest. Having professor Ialongo as my coach was extremely helpful because I was able to talk about the courses I was having difficulties with and advancement as far as how improving in those courses. Besides that, the Honors Program has offered me an unconditional support system, where I feel comfortable to speak about any obstacles or struggle I'm facing during my semester. By doing so, it has created a comfortable settling for me to be a part of.”

Paul Torres

“The most valuable benefit of the Honors Program has been the personal advisement that I have received. Whether it has been in the general advice from Karina or the more specific conversations I have had with Professor Burrell, the counsel I received has helped me navigate the needs and obligations I have on my time. College is a very confusing time and place for a lot of people, more so if you are constantly on the move from one class to the next, one project to the next and it helps to be able to count on mentors to give guidance when needed. This is what I have relied on and they have helped me succeed even while completing the large course work I’ve taken on this semester. It is because of my interactions with them that I am better prepared for the next semester at Hostos and for my eventual transfer to a four-year college.

This semester I was unable to participate in an honors class so, instead, I opted for an Honors Contract. Having always had a fascination with the quest narrative or what Joseph Campbell calls “the Hero’s Journey”, I chose to do this contract in English 111 with Professor Bollinger. She helped me choose a more definitive topic and I began to focus on the changes in the different aspects of the hero’s journey. Using Odysseus from The Odyssey and Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, I will show how the resolution of the journey and even the very definition of a hero have changed over the course of history. Over the course of the project I learned how to search for relevant works of literary criticism and to view the primary texts through the lens of the criticism. My research included important works by Joseph Campbell and Northrop Frye and their understanding of the quest narrative. It eventually grew to include more contemporary pieces by Valerie Frankel and Maureen Murdock and the role women played and now play in the hero’s journey.

This semester has been full of new experiences, more in depth research than I’ve ever done, obligations to multiple programs and organizations, and the need to manage my time like never before. Even though all of these facts are true it is because of these demands on my time and the help I have received that I feel better prepared for the rigors of a four-year college and possibly graduate school. Looking forward, the classes that will be offered and the contracts that will give me a chance to stretch any and all creative muscles I have, give me much to be excited for in the semesters I have left at Hostos.”




Althea Villiers

“My 2016 spring semester began with me being a part of the honors program for the first time. I anticipated a challenge but was ready to take it on. This was all new to me and to be honest it was nerve wracking as I was still getting used to being in school again. The honors program makes it mandatory for one to be engaged in activities which sometimes becomes challenging but after getting my feet wet I can say it has been a good experience this semester. My first challenge was my honors contract with Professor Ozuna. I got a late start on a project that was seemingly demanding mainly because this semester all my classes seem to be writing intensives, which made things even more difficult. I vented at times but I am motivated and know what I want and what is expected of me so I stepped up to the plate.

This semester I served as president of the Black Student Union (BSU). We had several cultural activities and community service events. I tried to participate in as many as I could. They were very informative and thought provoking. I participated and served the Hostos Community on behalf of the BSU in activities such as Gentrification in the Bronx to educate the school population on that pressing concern which is affecting us all. A meet and greet pizza party was also opened up to the school community to gain new members to the club which was a success. I also participated in a Harlem Renaissance walking tour which again was a great learning experience as I came to learn of the history of Harlem, how culturally rich it was, its great migration and all those who contributed to its success. I also had the opportunity to serve at the Wellness festival which had presenters who served the community by having organizations which promote health, free summer youth programs, safe sex, counselling for LGBT youths etc,. I was happy to know that all these resources were available to us at no cost. My next planned activity will be the upcoming AIDS walk in May at Central Park which will complete my service for the semester. ”

Alassane Thera

“I am completing my honors contract with professor DiSanto who is my first mentor in the Honors Program. Professor DiSanto is from the Education Department, and I am an engineering student. She made me have a deep interest in education after I took her EDU 101H class last semester. Doing the honors contract with her has been a whole different experience because she is always available to reply to my questions as well as provide feedback concerning the honors contract. Also, Professor DiSanto has been paying close attention to my classes this semester by asking questions about my progress at City College, which I really appreciate. She is available all the time and is always willing to go above and beyond.

Moreover, I am thankful beyond words with the support that I have received from the Honors Program this semester. More precisely, I was able to get help with my transfer essay by both of our great Directors, Professor Cynthia Jones and Professor Ernest Ialongo. In addition, I am very happy about the interview conducted by the Honors Program, which allowed the coordinator and directors to discuss any obstacles I faced and they provided me with suggestions to overcome them. It made me feel special and realized that the honors program cares about the academic goals of every single student in the program.

In conclusion, this semester is hopefully my last semester at Hostos and I would like to thank our great coordinator Karina Castro and Co-Directors for always being there for us, and making sure we treat each other as a family. Lastly, I am deeply saddened by the news of Varnell Pritchett, who was a wonderful alumni of the Honors Program, and my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”




Feissal Traore

“This semester, we had to meet with the directors and the coordinator of the program and discussed the honors program and our individual progress for the semester. I really liked the way the questions were set up to go basically around everything. After that meeting, I felt a boost up and even began my applications for colleges. I had the opportunity to open up and say what is going on not only in my academics but also in my life. As for today, I have received 2 acceptations of my 5 applications to universities and am still waiting for the others. If I wasn’t boosted up to finish my applications, I would probably have nothing to say today. Coming up later in a week, we will have the Honors Day Carnival which we expect to be very fun and interactive through the Honors Club.

This semester we had a the opportunity to participate in the Northeast Regional Honors Council in Boston were two of our peers, myself included, represented Hostos Community College. It was a great opportunity to meet and network with other honors programs from other colleges and universities of the region. We had very rich presentations, roundtables, and various activities during the conference. My roundtable presentation went very smooth and involved a lot of people as a discussion around the topic “The Impact of Technology and Natural Science on Migration”. We also had field trips, and I even learned how to eat with sticks at the Japanese restaurant we went to. I made new friends from other universities with who I’m still in touch now. What I like the most is the family spirit we always either have or picked up from the trip.

Furthermore, being an honors student does not just require an outstanding academic status. As honors student, I had to do community services and help give a smile to other people in our society. Engaging in those community services was a great experience and I enjoyed helping in the food pantry. We made orders for people to pick up and helped replenish stocks. I also helped cleaning local parks like the Mullaly Park behind the Yankee stadium and others. We maintained trees, and swept leaves off. Those are just a few of the multiple community services I have done so far this semester and I enjoyed every single one.

This semester will hopefully be my last at Hostos Community College and also in the program. I will be leaving with memories and pride. It was an honor for me to be part of this family and I could say that I accomplished something great during my journey as a Hostos Student. I am a Hostos Honors Student, didn’t quit nor get dropped, and graduating as Hostos Honors. Sounds great right?”




Dean’s List Ceremony Speech: “I know for some of you it probably wasn’t easy… I just want to give you guys some motivation and insight about what the future can hold for you… Growing up within the five boroughs and being a minority can seem like a challenge every day and that you are constantly failing in life. But it’s not all bad because when we do succeed it is the greatest feeling to experience. Life is supposed to be a challenge and hard. It’s a learning experience that we all need and I feel that if we don’t fail we are missing out on life. So I don’t mind failing now because I know life goes on and gets better. Most people fail because they think that the burden of failure is all negative but I believe it is a positive. It is a positive because without it we wouldn’t have hope, faith, courage, wisdom or any other virtues. Virtues are important in a person’s life because they can help develop you in a number of ways.

Out of all the virtues there are in the world I think Hope is the most important one because it is connected to each of the other virtues. This is especially the case for faith, self-control, wisdom, and righteousness. You need faith because there will be troubled times when trying to complete your dreams and by believing in yourself when there is nothing guaranteed, this defines what faith is. You don’t know what will happen but you believe everything will work out. Everyone has big dreams but you don’t know the final outcome. For self-control, you must control your emotions and what you do. If you know what you want to do you can’t be out partying every night because these are the nights you could be working on your dreams. If others want you to do something negative then you must know that it could hurt your dreams. You must control your emotions, desires, and activities because they could take you off of the path you want to be on. So you must be loyal to your dreams. For wisdom and righteousness you must know that the path that you are on is the right one and no matter what problems arise you have to believe that this is the right path for you no matter what the negative responses are. For wisdom you must be smart about your decisions and think about what colleges, people, or organizations can move you towards your goal. With wisdom you could show that you can make the right choices towards your goals.

I know that what I am saying seems hard to some and easy to others, but whatever your opinion is I want you to become not only better students but also better people. It took me a long time to realize my potential and what I was capable of. I have failed at everything I have ever done and I mean everything. I wasn’t good at school, basketball, lacrosse, track, and many other things. For a long time now I thought of myself




as a failure but as I have matured over the years. I started to realize that everyone who has ever been successful has failed numerous times. Whether you are Michael Jordan, Spike Lee, George Lucas, Derek Jeter, Bill gates, or Barack Obama. We all fail… And from this failure you have to rise up like a phoenix from its ashes and become successful. If you want to be a Doctor, a nurse, an animator, film director, an illustrator, politician, basketball player, Baseball player, an engineer or anything else that you want to become. Just remember that you need five things to succeed. Failure, support, hope, will power, and dedication. And I guarantee you that, you will become something great. Whether it’s for your family, community, nation or the world.

But also know this, Success and greatness isn’t just an individual’s journey. I would hope that most of you have you understood this because we are all here for someone else deep-down. It could be for your children, siblings, parents, friends, or some stranger to just inspire. These people in our lives are important because they are our greatest inspirations or people we just want to inspire. So remember who is on this journey with you. I know for me it is my Mom, my Dad, my sister, grandparents, and cousins who inspire me. And I want to inspire people in my neighborhood of Soundview as well. “So remember if you are not making anyone else’s life better then you are just wasting your time,” A quote from Will Smith. Everything I have just said is truly a summary of what failure and success is. So I hope you are all motivated in some way and even if you aren’t that’s fine because I hope that one day you will remember my words and it motivates you then .I’ll leave you guys with just two words. “Fail forward”. Thank you.”

Rest In Peace Varnell Pritchett

I AM Hostos Honors




hostos community college honors program honors read-in and … · 2017-08-24 · honors program...

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